


Coming of Age

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Heroes to Villains, Horror, The Quidditch Pitch: Going Under
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-08
Updated: 2006-01-08
Packaged: 2018-10-27 17:38:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10813662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Ron's finally growing up.





	Coming of Age

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: For [The Pimp Cane](http://www.livejournal.com/community/the_pimp_cane)'s Rare Pair Month, the rare pair here is Ron/Voldemort (the characters just needed to interact, not necessarily couple off). I'm darned fond of this piece.  


* * *

Harry's been plagued with bad dreams for such a long time, he's no longer sure what's real and what's not. Night after night, he dreams of death, sees rivers of blood, watches himself stretched out and taking his last breath. He sees the Death Eaters or Nagini or Pettigrew or Tom Riddle and now he doesn't know what's memory, imagination, or possession.

Harry is tired and his scar burns all the time. 

Ron's a constant source of comfort, waking Harry when he screams or brushing sweat-soaked fringe from his forehead. Harry thinks he may be in love with his best friend. Ron's insightful and always knows exactly the thing to say, which is weird because Ron never used to know what to say. Harry remembers that Hermione used to say that Ron had the emotional capacity of a teaspoon, but Harry doesn't think that's right anymore. 

Maybe he's grown up. 

Other people have noticed it, too. The teachers love him now. Even Snape grudgingly admits that Ron's doing superb work. He answers questions exactly right in Potions, but isn't a nuisance like Hermione. Ron's marks are even rivalling hers now. They've left Harry in the dust, but he doesn't care as long as Ron's there to talk to, to touch, to tell him everything's going to turn out the way it's supposed to. 

Ron's so popular now that it makes Harry grin, even though his head hurts all the time. Girls follow him around; Colin takes pictures of Ron instead of Harry. He's Head Boy, smart and wonderful, but not obnoxious like Percy. On Tuesdays, he teaches the first years chess. He's approached Harry about inviting Slytherins to the D.A. meetings, but Harry is hesitant, so Ron promises he'll get them to listen to him. It seems to be working, surprisingly enough. Harry isn't sure, but he thinks he even saw Ron and Malfoy chatting pleasantly after class last week. 

Tonight's dreams are worse than most. Harry sees kind blue eyes, a familiar smile, then a hand punching through his chest and pulling out his heart. When he wakes, Ron is at his side and his eyes sting because he's been crying in his sleep. Ron holds Harry's head to his chest and rubs his back until he stops shaking. Harry looks up and Ron looks down and they meet in the middle in a clash of tongues and lips that makes Harry's head spin. Then, Ron's reaching into his pyjama bottoms and stroking and rubbing and it's so good and then Harry's a gasping, sweaty mess again, but now it's for a different reason. 

He comes in Ron's hand and Harry apologises but Ron only smiles and kisses Harry's forehead. Harry's scar burns. 


End file.
